Planooraph co



w. L. POLLABD. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED IAYIZ, I915.

1 ,308; 1 1 0. Patented July 1, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD L. POLLARCD, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CABLE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

IUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1919.

Application filed May 12, 1915. Serial No. 27,521. I

Improvements in Musical Instruments, of I which the followin is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments, and more specifically to means for use in connection with a sheet-controlled automatic musical instrument and a phonograph whereby the instrument and phonograph may be kept in synchronism.

One of the objects of my invention is to' provide improved means, of the character indicated above, which shall be simple in construction and which can be applied to already-existing instruments without requiring alteration of said instruments to any great extent.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a front elevation of a playerpiano and a phonograph, showing my improved s nchronizing means in combination therewit and showing the indicator in place on the player-piano, and the connec tions from the tracker-board of the playerpiano and from the phonograph to the indicating device;

Fi 2 is a front elevation of the indicating evice, the front plat of the indicating device being removed to show the two pneumatics which actuate the ratchet-wheels which drive the pointers of the indicator;

Fig. 3 is a section, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the two ratchet-wheels and the manner in which they are connected to the two pointers;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of part of the tracker and of part of the music-roll used in connection therewith, the latter. beingprovided with special openings for cooperation with a special openin in the tracker for controlling the indicatlng device; and

Fig. 5 is a somewhatdiagrammatic plan view of the phonograph, the cover bein removed, showing a valve-device actuated by the record-support for controlling one of the pneumatics of the indicating device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown my device in connection with a player-piano, indicated in general at 10, and aphonograph, indicated at 11. The player- .piano has the usual tempo-lever 12 for controlling th speed of travel of the note-sheet 13, which is mounted so as to be visible through an opening 14 in the upper part of the piano. The phonograph is provided with the usual tone'arm 15 and with a lever 16 for controlling the speed of rotation of the record-support 17, on which is mounted the record 18. The tracker 19 (Fig. 4) of the player-piano is provided with a special opening 20, which is connected by means of a tube21 with one of the pneumatics of the indicating device. The phonograph is provided adjacent the record-support 17, with a valve-device 22 (Fig. 5) comprising a valve-block 23 having a valve-controlled opening 24 therein, which is connected by means of, a tube 25 to the other pneumatic of the indicating device. A valve 26, which controls the opening 24, is pivotally mounted at 27 on brackets 28 secured to the valve-block 23. A spring 29, between the valve-block 23 and valve-26, normally holds the valve in position to close the opening 24. The valve is provided with a cam member 30 which is located in position to be engaged by cam members 3l secured on the record-support 17 to rotate therewith. The record 18 is provided with a recess 32, into which the phonograph needle is placed and which re cess will guide the needle to cause it to properly enter the groove of the phonograph record.

Referring now specifically to the indicating device, shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, this comprises a base 33, a cylindrical casing 34 for the operating parts, a front plate 35 secured in the bead 3 5" of the casin 34 for concealing the operating parts of t e indicating device, and two pointers 36 and 37, (which are differently colored, as shown in Fig. 2,and one of which, as 37, may be provided withan extension ortail 37*,if desired,) which are actuated by means of ratchet-wheels 38 and 39, respectively, which are engaged by pawls 38 and 39, respectively, pivotally mounted on standards 42 and 54, respectively. These ratchetwheels are actuated by pneum atics, indicated in general at 10 and ll, which are provlded with adjustable stops 40 and 4-1, respectively, to

regulate the throw of the .pneu-matics, and

secured to the standard 12 (which may be formed integrally with the base in any suitabl manner, as by screws 4-3 extending through the standard into the pneumatic. The standard i2 is provided at its upper end with a bearing 4%, in which. is rotatably mounted a shaft a5, to one end of which is secured the hub #16 of the ratchet-wheel 38 and to the other end of which is secured the hub 47 of the pointer '36.

Formed integrally with the bearing 44; and surrounding part of the shaft 45, is an extension or sleeve 18, on which is rotatably mounted the hub 49 of the pointer 37. The front plate 35 is provided with an aperture 50, through which the hub 49 extends. Pivota-lly secured on the movable member 50% of the pneumatic e0, by means of ia pivotpin 51, is a pawl 52, the point of which engages in the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 38.

A washer 53 is provided between the pawl 52 and the edge of the movable member 50 to space the pawl from said movable member and to properly position the pawl with re-- spect to the ratchet-wheel. The pneumatic 11 is secured to the standard 5i- (which may be formed integrally with the base 33) in any suitable manner, as by means of screws extending through the standard and into the base of the pneumatic. Secured to the upper edge of the movable member 56 of the pneumatic, is an Lshaped bracket 57, to which is pivotally secured, by means of a pin 58, a hook-shaped pawl 59, the point of which engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 39. The pneumatic 11 is pro vided with primary valve-mechanism, indicated at 60, comprising an exhaust-chamber 61 having an opening 62 which is connected with a suitable source of exhaust (such as the wind-chest of the playerpiano) by means of a flexible conduit 63, a doublefaced valve 64 operating in a valve-chamber 65 (which valve in one position closes the atmospheric port 66, and in another position closes the exhaust-port 67), a valve-stem 68 connected to this valve 64 and mounted ztO move in a suitable guide 69, and .a diavphragm 70 for engaging and actuating the Y-HlXG-StQIIl 68. The valve chamber 65 is connected with the interior of the pneumatic 4.1 by means of a passage 71. The pneumatic 40 is controlled by valve-mechanism indicated in general at 72, similar in all respects tothe primary valve-mechanism 60.

The primary valve-mechanisms 60 and 72 are connected with the tubes 21 and 25, respectlvely, as shown in.F1g. .2, which tubes lead to the tracker-opening 20 and valveopening Qat, respectively, as shown in Flgs. 1, 4, and 5.

The note-sheet 13 is provided with the usual note-perforations 7a and also with side perforations (Figs. 1 and 41) which are spaced from each other a distance corresponding to the distance which the musicsheet should travel between successive actuations of the valve 26 by the projections 31 on the phonograph record-support.

The use and operation of my improved device is as follows: A phonograph record, provided with a recess 32 leading to the groove formed in the record, is placed in position on the record-support 17 with the recess 32 opposite one of the cam members '31, and the support 17 together with the record are rotated until the recess 32 is in a position in which the stylus of the phonograph can engage therewith. The notesheet- 13 is placed in position in the playerpiano, and the phonograph is put in operation to cause the support 17 to rotate. At the same time, the player-piano is put in operation to cause the music-sheet to travel over the tracker 19. As the note-sheet 13 travels over the tracker 19, the openings "75 will admit .air to the tracker-opening 20 and tube 21 to cause the operation of the diaphragm 70 to raise the valve 64, closing the atmospheric port 66 and opening theexhaust-port 67 to exhaust the air from the pneumatic 41 through the opening 71 and exhaust-port 67, causing the pneumatic Alto collapse and the ratchet-wheel 39 and pointer 37 to be advanced a step. When the openings 7 5 pass out of registration with the trackeropening 20, causing the opening to be again covered, the air beneath the diaphragm 7 0 will be exhausted into the chamber 61 by means of the usual bleed, permitting the valve 64 to again close the exhaust-port '67 and to open the atmospheric port 66, to permit the pneumatic 11 :to expand and move the pawl 59 into engagement with a succeeding tooth on the ratchet-wheel 39.

As the cam members 31 engage the ream member 30 on the valve 26, air will headmitted to the opening 2st and tube 25, cansing the actuation of the primary valvemechanism 72 to cause the pneumatic 10 to collapse and the ratchet wheel 38 to be advanced a step, thereby causing a movement of the pointer 36. As each cam member 31 disengages from the cam member 30, the valve 26 will close, causing the pneumatic 4-0 to be again expanded to bring the pawl 52 back in position to engage thesueceeding sheet is lagging behind. To correct this,

the person operating the player-piano should move the tempo-lever 12 to cause the notesheet 13 to travel faster, until the pointers 36 and 37 are again moving together. Similarly, if the pointer 36, controlled by the phonograph, lags behind the pointer 37, controlled by the note-sheet, it indicates that the note-sheet is too far ahead, whereupon the operator should move the tempo-lever 12 to slow down the travel of the sheet, until the pointers are again traveling together.

As the pointers 36 and 37 have an intermittent step-by-step movement, the operator, by the use of the tempo-lever 12, can cause the note-sheet to travel at such a speed that both pointers will start to move simultaneously. Thus, if the pointer 36 begins its step movement before the pointer 37, the tempo-lever 12 should be 0 erated to speed up the note-sheet, until t e two pointers start to move at precisely the same instant.

As the pointers 36 and 37 are differently colored, the operator will be enabled to determine which pointer corresponds to the phonograph and which to the piano.

If desired, means may be provided whereby the speed of the phonograph can be controlled by means adjacent the key-board of the player-piano, so that the operator will not have to leave the piano to change the pitch and tempo of the phonograph. In case the pitch of the phonograph does not correspond to the pitch of the accompaniment being played on the player-piano, the pitch of the phonograph can be varied by means of the lever 16. If this would necessitate playing the selection too fast or too slow, the player-piano could be adjusted to transpose the selection to a different key, by means of any of the ordinary transposingdevices common to player-pianos.

The throw of the pneumatics 40 and 41 can be regulated, by means of the stops 40 and 41 to correspond to the pitch of the teeth of the ratchet-wheels 38 and 39. The weighted pawls 38 and 39 prevent backlash of the ratchet-wheels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with an automatic musical instrument controlled by a notesheet, and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising indicating means separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and also comprising indicating means controlled by said phonograph.

2. The combination with an automatic musical instrument controlled by a notesheet, and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising an indicating member movable in adefinite path and separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and a second indicating member movable in a definite path and controlled by said phonograph, the paths being adjacent.

3. The combination with an automatic musical instrument controlled by a note sheet, and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising an indicating member movable in a definite path and separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and a second indicating member movable in a definite path and controlled by said phonograph, the paths being adjacent and said members being movable about a common axis.

4. The combination with an automatic musical instrument controlled by perforations in a note-sheet, and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising indicating means separate from and controlled by perforations in said note-sheet, and also comprising indicating means controlled by said phonograph.

5. The combination with an automatic musical instrument controlled by a notesheet, and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising indicating means separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and also comprising indicating means controlled by said phonograph, said phonograph-controlled means comprising a valve.

6. The combination with an automatic notesheetcontrolled musical instrument and a phonograph, of an indicato comprising indicating means separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and also comprising indicating means controlled by said phonograph; said note-sheet-controlled indicating means comprising a pneumatic and an indicatin member movable in a definite path an actuated by said pneumatic, and said phonograph-controlled indicating means comprising a second pneumatic and an indicating member movable in a definite path and actuated by said second pneumatic, the paths being adjacent.

7 The combination with an automatic note-sheet-controlled musical instrument and a phonograph, of an indicator comprising indicating means separate from and controlled by said note-sheet, and also comprising indicating means controlled by said phonograph; said note-sheet-controlled indicating means comprising an actuator and an indicating member movable in a definite path and moved by said actuator, and said phonograph-controlled indicating means comprising a second actuator and a second indicating member movable in a definite path and moved by said second actuator, the paths being adjacent.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLARD L. POLLARD.

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. wlshlnton, D. 0. 

